1. Field
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to an X-ray detection table, an X-ray imaging apparatus, and a control method of an X-ray imaging apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An X-ray imaging apparatus may refer to an image apparatus that acquires an image of internal material, tissues, or structures of an object, such as a human body, animal, and other various things. The image may be acquired by irradiating the object with X-rays, detecting the irradiated X-rays, and generating an X-ray image based on the detected result to display the X-ray image on a display device.
X-ray imaging using the X-ray imaging apparatus may enable easy observation of the internal material or structure of the object without destruction of the object, and is thus used in a wide variety of fields including medicine, etc.
The X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray irradiation module that irradiates an object with X-rays, and an X-ray detection module that detects the X-rays irradiated from the X-ray irradiation module to generate an X-ray image.
The X-ray irradiation module applies a predetermined voltage to an X-ray tube to accelerate electrons in the X-ray tube based on the applied voltage, and irradiates an object with X-rays generated when the accelerated electrons are rapidly reduced in speed upon collision with an anode.
The X-ray detection module receives X-rays, directed to the object and passed through the object, or X-rays directed to an external region of the object, through an X-ray detection panel, and converts the received X-rays into electric signals. Thereafter, the X-ray detection module reads out the electric signals to generate an X-ray image. More specifically, to convert X-rays into electric signals, the X-ray detection panel includes a scintillator to receive X-rays and output photons, a photodiode to receive the photons output from the scintillator and convert the photons into electric signals, and a storage unit to store the electric signals converted by the photodiode, the storage unit being, for example, a storage capacitor.
The object is located at an upper end or a front end of the X-ray detection module. For example, in the case of the X-ray detection module in the form of a table, the object is located at the upper end of the X-ray detection module.
Examples of the above-described X-ray imaging apparatus include a general X-ray imaging apparatus, a special area dedicated imaging apparatus, and a Computed Tomography (CT) or Full Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) apparatus.